For turning me on to using a 1" reamer for the scope rings. This beats the hell out of lapping.
The rest of ya'll gotta try this. It's so easy. Took me about 10 mins., and the scope fit in the rings like it was one piece. This thing takes off the high spots in no time flat. Just take your time if ya'll try it. Got it from MSC>>>>


CUTTING TOOLS REAMERS HAND
item # 02220648
Price $36.75
Description Hand - Reamers Diameter: 1 Flute Type: Left Hand Spiral/Right Hand Cut Material: HSS
Material HSS
Diameter (Inch) 1
Flute Length (Inch) 5-7/16
Overall Length (Inch) 10-7/8
Flute Type Left Hand Spiral/Right Hand Cut
Product Image
MSC Big Book Page 218 View Product in Catalog
MRO Book Page m3187 View Product in Catalog

Thanks for bringing that to light, Jules. This is something I have wanted to try for some time now and sort of put it on the back burner. But getting set up for this is going to be my next project.

Bobby, You got mail.

Okay Jules, just a few short months ago you persuaded me that I had to have a lapping rig. There was nothing better or easier! Now you have jumped ship and gone on to a new gadget?? I just got money saved up for the last one! Are you sure this is the best way?? How do they say that, "is this your final answer??" Seriously thanks for the heads up! Mike

You got me there Mike. I thought lapping was the way to go till I talked to Mike B last week, but didn't wanna post it till I tried it.
Line reaming is as clean as it gets. No mess at all.... no compound and no oil, and it's a hell of alot cheaper then buying the lapping tools, witch I hope you didn't get yet

[ 07-18-2002, 01:04: Message edited by: Jules ]

Jules, OK now.... please lift the veil of mystery so I can know exactly what you're doing w/ "line reaming" scope rings.... Admittedly, I'm kinda "challenged" by some of these procedures... Heck, I thought I was doing real well and my skills had taken a quantum leap when I learned how to lap scope rings. Keep this in mind when you give us/me the description of what you're doing. Other than the reamer, what equipment is needed? Gary T.

From Mike Bellm>>>>>>>>
First off, get a 1" diameter bar of cold rolled steel about a foot long for
twisting in the rings and lining them up. Get your windage ring in
position, then tighten down the twist in rings on the bar. This holds the
windage ring in position as you tighten a little at a time from one side
then the other until you have them snugged down. Remove the 1" bar, leave
the rings screws loose, and insert the reamer. Make sure it turns ok, then
start tweaking the ring screws a very little at a time.

I use a short metric adjustable wrench, aka a Crescent wrench..... about a
6" for turning the reamer. Too much leverage and you can get too heavy
handed too quickly.

Remember that the puny little base screws are what is holding the base on
the barrel, which is the best way to ream, and in my case, with the SMP I
have to ream with the base on the barrel since the 6th screw is between the
front two rings and not accessible once the rings are on.

So eeeeeeasy does it with the wrench. Time for the light touch, lots of
turning and very, very gentle tweaking of the ring screws to put pressure on
the reamer. And if the reamer grabs on a corner, DON'T FOSE IT. Back the
screw off so the reamer turns freely, and sneak up on the high spot again.

DON"T TIGHTEN THE RINGS ALL THE WAY DOWN WHEN REAMING or you won't have anything left to hold the scope. You'll have removed about 2/3 of the finish from the inside of the rings when there done. This reamer is very sharp and cuts really fast. After your done reaming install the sticky labels inside the top and bottom halfs of the rings.

Jules

[ 07-18-2002, 01:13: Message edited by: Jules ]

Jules,
Mind if I use your post here on Mike's web site?

steve

Not at all Steve. As long as it's alright with Mike, go for it.
Heck, I could also walk everyone through a Contender trigger job using the Diamond EZE Laps, and Wyoming Stones but I don't want to intrude on Mikes Book. I'll let him give or sell all the info. on that one. I got it down pat.

Thanks Jules. Running it past Mike now.

I know Mike has lots of new stuff on the horizon, not sure what all he is thinking abou, but it will be cool!

I'm looking forward to getting up to his place the weekend of Aug 1 and seeing what all he has going on up there. Will be like going to Disneyland.

steve

Not yet Fireball, but when he does I don't want to be the one to spoil it.

Steve, You lucky dog. I'll retire for the night on that one.

[ 07-19-2002, 00:57: Message edited by: Jules ]

Jules, Thanks for the info, but now I've got MORE questions! Sounds like the reaming is being done by hand, correct? What, or who, is MSC? Do they have a website, address, or phone # where they could be contacted? Or, might this reamer be available elsewhere? (I'll admit I'm VERY ignorant in this area, w/ NO previous exposure. Nevetheless, sounds like it might be worthwhile to learn it if,indeed, the process is better than lapping the rings.) Thanks, Gary T.

1buba, aka webmaster, aka Steve. Yes, go ahead and post the scope ring reaming message I had sent to good ole Jules. It is ok with me.

MSC is Manhatten Supply Co., a large industrial supplier. Their paper catalog is probably about 4" thick, but they also have their catalog on CD and online as well. I think it is www.mscdirect.com without getting up to go double check.

I can add the reamers to my website if interested.

I have thought about adding Clover lapping compounds to the site also.

Regarding reaming scope rings v. lapping, reaming leaves a round opening; whereas, lapping tends to wallow the rings and leave something less than a round hole. Reaming is also much quicker.

I should mention also that Brownells and Clymer sell scope ring reamers at about double the price of the common machine shop spiral reamer Jules used, which I believe is the exact same reamer I have been using for over 10 years on hundreds of scope mounts.

Protect your scopes.... a couple twists on a reamer inside machined scope rings quickly reveals that they are not "true" at all, and thus when you torque down on the ring screws, you are bending and denting the scope tube. Reaming the insides of the rings true knocks off the tops of the high spots and aligns the openings in the rings with each other, thus giving a straight platform for the scope to be locked into.

Mike

While I'm thinking of it, the Diamond EZE Laps I show in the Encore trigger job CD are also what I use to sharpen the spiral 1" reamer I use for reaming scope rings.

OK, you might ask, how does one sharpen a spiral reamer by hand? Very carefully, of course.
But keeping the edge fresh allows taking very fine shavings out of the rings using very little torqure on the reamer and thus less strain on the base screws while you are reaming.

Mike

Just sharing some of what i've learned from you Mike. I also picked up a few tricks on my own along the way. You make everything sound easy, and you know what? If ya study how it all works...it is!